With the conduct of three nuclear tests of different yields in Pokharan
India has gone nuclear. Briefing media persons in New Delhi last evening,
the principal secretary to the Prime Minister, Brijesh Mishra said India
now has a credible nuclear deterrent. These tests he said have established
the country's proven capability for a weaponised nuclear programme.

Earlier, at a hurriedly called press conference at his residence the
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee announced India's conduct of three
underground nuclear tests. The Prime Minister said that monitoring after
the tests has confirmed that there was no release of radioactivity.

About the need for carrying out these nuclear tests Brijesh Mishra said
the nuclear environment in India's neighbourhood is very dangerous and
it was causing deep concern to the government. He said these tests will
assure the people that national security interests are paramount and will
be promoted and protected. These tests will also provide data useful in
the design of nuclear weapons of different yields and applications and
for different delivery systems. These will also help scientists towards
a computer simulated capability which he said may be supported by sub-critical
experiments if necessary.

Despite these tests, he reiterated India's support to efforts to realise
the goal of a truly comprehensive international arrangement to prohibit
underground nuclear tests of all weapons. He said India would be prepared
to accept some of the undertakings in the Comprehensive Tests Ban Treaty
but it would depend on several reciprocal activities. Mr. Mishra affirmed
that India would continue to exercise stringent control on the export of
sensitive technologies, equipment and commodities related to weapons of
mass destruction. He said we expect the recognition of this policy by the
international community.

Mr. Mishra said that India is committed to the process of nuclear disarmament
and global elimination of nuclear weapons. He said India's adherence to
the chemical weapons convention and biologicals weapons convention is a
proof of its commitment to non-discriminatory and verifiable global disarmament
regime.

Responding to a question regarding possible sanctions against India,
Mr. Mishra said all these aspects have been taken into consideration. About
the US reaction, Mr. Mishra said India has as much right to protect its
national interests as the United States has the right to protect its own
national interests. He expressed the hope that the USA will understand
India's security concerns.

Opposition parties have generally welcomed the Pokharan nuclear tests
as demonstration of India's technological advancement. Congress General
Secretary Mr. Madhavrao Scindia said the tests were the culmination of
the process initiated by Indira Gandhi in 1974.

United Front spokesman Jaipal Reddy said with the formal tests, India
has become a dejure nuclear weapon state from being a de facto nuclear
weapon state. Former Prime Minister, Mr. I. K. Gujral said India has proved
that it is second to none in the area of high technology. Welcoming the
tests, the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr. Farooq Abdullah said the
country needed to demonstrate its defence capabilities.

Rajasthan Chief Minister, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat has described it as
a quantum leap forward in India's peaceful nuclear programme. The former
Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, Dr. P. K. Iyengar said that India
has demonstrated the capability to design a whole range of nuclear bombs
qualifying it to become a member of nuclear weapon states from a member
of a nuclear club. According to the nuclear scientist, Mr. Raja Ramanna
the successful nuclear tests is a great advance in the country's nuclear
capabilities.

The nuclear tests have evoked strong reactions abroad. The UN Secretary
General Mr. Kofi Annan has expressed deep regret. In a statement in New
York he called for maximum restraint and urged all governments to support
measures accelerating nuclear disarmament and end to all nuclear tests.

Washington has expressed deep disappointment at India's nuclear tests.
Reacting to the development, the White House spokesman Mr. Mike McCurry
said the United States would raise its concern directly with the Vajpayee
government. Washington would also contact Pakistan to urge restraint in
the sub-continent.

Expressing its dismay at the developments, Britain has summoned an emergency
meeting of the European Union political committee today to look into what
it called implications of the exercise. Britain is the President of the
European Union.

Pakistan has called for international sanctions against India for conducting
the tests. The Pakistan foreign minister, Gohar Ayub Khan affirmed to reserve
its rights to take all appropriate steps to safeguard its security.

Russia says the nuclear tests by India will have no effect on Indo-Russian
defence cooperation.

France, Australia, Finland and Sweden have expressed concern about the
tests while Germany has condemned it. Canada has also expressed its disappointment
on the issue.

The Japanese Prime Minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto says he plans to take
the initiative to propose some action against India during the Birmingham
summit of the leaders of the G-7 countries this weekend

The end to the week long nurses' strike seems to be in
sight with the government and the striking nurses expressing the hope of
reaching an agreement today. Meanwhile, the strike continues, the Delhi
Nursing Union maintaining that it will be called off only after an agreement
is reached on their demands. After three rounds of talks the minister for
parliamentary affairs, Mr. Madan Lal Khurana and the minister of state
for health and family welfare, Mr. Dalit Ezhilmalai went to the Prime Minister's
office to discuss the demands. They discussed the package prepared after
the meeting at the Prime Minister's office with the striking nurses. The
talks were adjourned till 3 p.m. today as both sides wanted to seek some
clarifications.

The President K.R. Narayanan said in the successful testing of three
nuclear devices, Indian science has scored yet another achievement. Calling
it a major breakthrough in the realm of national security the President
extended his felicitations to all the scientists and technologists who
made it possible.

Mr. Narayanan said, India has always stood and worked for a peaceful
world without nuclear weapons and this achievement will enable us to make
a more effective contribution to the objective of complete and comprehensive
disarmament and a non-discriminatory and more equal world order.

The BJP has congratulated the government scientists and engineers for
the tests. In a statement in New Delhi, the party's president, Mr Kushabhau
Thakre said that indicates, the government's commitment to uphold the nation's
security.

The International Atomic Energy Agency has said that India is entitled
to conduct nuclear test. An IAEA spokesman told Reuters in Vienna that
India cannot be accused of breaking any promises because it has not made
any promises.

India's most sophisticated surface to air missile "Trishul"
was successfully test fired today from the interim test range at Chandipur
in Orissa. According to official sources, the indigenously built short
range missile was test fired for the 37th time, this afternoon. The missile
has a range of fifty kilometeres.